How Does Depression Affect Women

Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications of childbearing with an estimated prevalence of 19.2% in the first three months after delivery (1). Depressive episodes (major and mild) may be experienced by approximately half of women during the first postpartum year (1). Characterized by depressed mood, loss of pleasure or interest in daily activities, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, irritability, sleep and eating disturbances (2), its etiology is multi-faceted and complex (3;4).

Depression is the most common mental health disorder; it affects over 17 million American adults each year. Depression is a mood disorder characterized by at least four symptoms such as changes in sleep, appetite, weight, and psychomotor activity; decreased energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; or recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, thoughts or attempts. “Women are approximately two times more likely than men to suffer from major depression” (Research Agenda for Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women’s Health, 1996) and it has been called the most significant mental health risk for women. Women are more likely to suffer from depression during marriage

Postpartum psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, has become the most underdiagnosed complication in the United States. It can lead to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development (Earls, 2010). Over 400,000 infants are born to mothers that are depressed. One of 7 new mothers (14.5%) experience depressive episodes that impair maternal role function. An episode of major or minor depression that occurs during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth is called perinatal or postpartum depression (Wisner, Chambers & Sit, 2006). Mothers with postpartum depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion that may make it difficult for them to complete daily care activities for themselves or for others (Postpartum Depression). The six stages of postpartum are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance and PTSD. These stages may affect any women regardless of age, race, ethnicity, or economic status. However only a physician can diagnose a woman with postpartum depression. It does not occur because of something a mother does or does not do, it’s a combination of physical and emotional factors. After childbirth, the levels of hormones in a woman’s body quickly drop; which may lead to chemical changes in her brain (Postpartum Depression). Unbalanced hormones may trigger mood swings.

Postpartum depression, which is the most prevalent of all maternal depressive disorders, is said to be the hidden epidemic of the 21st century. (1) Despite its high prevalence rate of 10-15% and increased incidence, postpartum depression often goes undetected, and thus untreated. (2) Nearly 50% of postpartum depression cases are untreated. As a result, these cases are put at a high risk of being exposed to the severe and progressive nature of their depressive disorder. (3) In other words, the health conditions of untreated postpartum depression cases worsen and progress to one of their utmost stages, and they are: postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder, postpartum panic disorder, postpartum post traumatic stress, and postpartum psychosis.

According to the North Carolina Clinic, they have a research program to understand why women go through depression during pregnancy, and after childbirth. The research program

Depression is a major public health problem that is twice as common in women as men during the childbearing years. Postpartum depression is defined as an episode of non-psychotic depression according to standardized diagnostic criteria with onset within 1 year of childbirth (Stewart D., et. al, 2003, p. 4). For women aged 15 to 44 years around the world, Postpartum Depression is second to HIV/AIDS, in terms of total disability (World Health Organization, 2001). Depression has a profound impact on parameters of interpersonal behavior. Post-Partum depression

Postpartum depression: What is it, how long does it last, and does it affect children on the long run? Postpartum depression is a depression that affects woman usually during the first months after giving birth. Postpartum depression affects 1 in 5 woman. It can also affect fathers. In most cases, postpartum depression can last many years. There are 3 types of postpartum psychiatric disorders: postpartum blues, postpartum psychosis and postpartum depression. According to Health Facty, there are 10 symptoms of postpartum depression; sadness, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, crying spells, problems with memory and concentration, change in sleep cycle, altered patterns of eating, loss of libido, social withdrawal, and an enduring sense of

Almost all women experience some type of depression during pregnancy. Depression is more than just feeling "blue" or "down in the dumps" for a few days. It's a serious illness that involves the brain. Depression makes you feel sad and lonely for a number of days, and could become a serious problem.These feelings can be mild to severe. Depression is the most common problem during pregnancy. Due to the potential birth defects, developmental issues, and negative effects on the health of both mother and child. Hormonal changes cause the depression women experience during pregnancy. The use of antidepressants by pregnant women should be highly restricted in the United States. It can really hurt the child more than

Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that causes extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion. The main cause of postpartum depression is believed to arise from the drastic change of hormones in the mother's body. After giving birth the production of estrogen and progesterone, the pregnancy hormone, is quickly stopped. The drop of progesterone can lead to chemical changes in the brain that may cause mood swings. Another cause of postpartum depression is the inadequate amount of sleep the mother gets. Sleep is essential for everyone but especially a mother that just gave birth. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Constant sleep deprivation can lead to physical discomfort and exhaustion…” (National Institute of Mental Health

Postpartum depression is a significant problem as it is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity. Developing a screening tool to address the issue early can provide the necessary interventions to avoid further undesirable problems down the road. As we know, early detection is key in prevention. Developing questionnaires that can identify multiple risk factors can help better identify women who are more likely to be at risk. The following study addresses the following risk factors in the categories of socio demographics, biological, pregnancy related factors, life stressors, social support, obstetric, and maternal adjustment.

However, there are risk factors that may influence someone getting postpartum depression. “Younger mothers are at an increased risk for PPD compared to those who give birth later in life. Other factors that increase the risk a woman will experience PPD after giving birth include financial troubles, relationship problems with a spouse or partner, physical abuse, and tobacco use”. (Black & Tish). According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “the drastic drop in the hormones, estrogen and progesterone, following childbirth may lead to chemical changes in the brain which can cause mood swings.” On top of this change in hormones the mother is recovering from childbirth and may be faced with physical exhaustion. Current research has demonstrated that a compilation of stressors such as biochemical, genetic, and psychosocial may attribute to the development of this mental disorder. Other risk factors for development of postpartum depression include symptoms of depression before or after pregnancy, bipolar disorder, medical complication during childbirth, and family history of postpartum depression. (2015 Postpartum) It is important to know the risk factors for postpartum

Mothers who have brought into this world a blessing have been preparing themselves for a big change in their life. They have been learning and educating themselves about how to be a good mother. Many mothers find it really hard to transition from being an independent woman without children to becoming a mother (Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). Adapting to motherhood can be a drastic change, and usually creates challenges that lead to feeling overwhelmed (Leger & Letourneau, 2015). When a newly mother begins experiencing stress or becomes emotional then there can be a possibility that they can encounter Postpartum Depression (Leger et al., 2015). Postpartum depression can be seen and experienced in many different ways, it all varies on every mother (Corrigan et al., 2015). Many different mental health issues can be seen including baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the most serious, postpartum psychosis (Tam & Leslie, 2001).

According to a Mental Health America survey on public attitudes and beliefs about clinical depression and women’s attitude toward depression: More than one-half of women believe it is normal for a woman to be depressed after giving birth ,during menopause and is part of aging. Therefore seeking treatment is not necessary and denial to the fact plays an important role.

Some of these are because of the depression and anxiety that women have to go through with the start of their puberty stage (Russo, 2008). Women experience symptoms of psychological discomfort at the time of hormonal change in their body such as prenatal depression. The pregnancy changes the hormones that affect the chemical level in the women’s brain which directly related to depression and anxiety (Russo, 2008). The symptoms can be persistent sadness, difficulty concentration, sleeping too less or too much, change in eating habits and many others. These can be dangerous for both mother and baby (Russo, 2008). The another one is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) which is considered to be the severe form of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Both of these occur most commonly in the days proceeding the second half of women’s menstrual cycle (Russo, 2008). The symptoms of these disorders could be bloating headaches, joint pains, fatigue, panic attacks, irritability, trouble sleeping and many others (Russo, 2008). According to the American college of Obstetricians and gynaecologist estimates that at least 85 percent of menstruating women have at least one PMS symptom as a part of their monthly cycle (Russo, 2008). According to WHO “depressive disorders account for close to 41.9 percent of the disability from neuropsychiatric disorders among compared to 29.3 percent of among men”

A mother who struggles with depression post-partum is likely to expose her baby to more harmful effects. Gerhardt (2015) states that the baby of a depressed mother can find it difficult to cope with or get over stress, or they may be more fearful (p. 21). These babies also may respond to others with depression themselves, as their mother may be neglectful in their care (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 36). One of the reasons for this is because of their cortisol levels, which can fluctuate situationally. However, in infants this can affect their development (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 83) as well as their immune system (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 118), and is evidence that a mother with depression can have a significant impact on her child well beyond when the depression occurs. Additionally, Gerhardt (2015) notes that, “When they grow up, these babies of depressed mothers are highly at risk of succumbing to depression themselves.” (p.